Heel cover tucking machine



Dec. 5, 1933. KNQWLTQN 7 1,937,824

HEEL COVER TUGKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28. 1929 Fig.1.

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 rso STATES Application December 28, 1929 Serial No. 417,201 1 16 Glaims. (CI. 12-42) This invention relates to cover tucking ma chines and is herein exemplified as embodied no a machine for tucking the edge portion of a heel cover into a channel in a heel, an operation which has, until comparatively recently, been performed by hand, although certain machines are now available for performing this operation.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved cover tucking machine which, while simple in construction, shall be easy to operate and capable of producing high grade work upon heels of a large variety of sizes and shapes without requiringany change in the adjustment or equipment of the machine.

With the above stated object in view, an importantfeature of the invention consists in the combination with a movable tucking tool of means for imparting vibratory movement to said tool in any selected one of a plurality of directions at the willof the operator, whereby presentation of work'to the tool is facilitated and operation upon heels of any shape is made possible.

Another feature of the invention, contributing to ease and rapidity in operation, resides in the provision of ayieldingly mounted, normally stationary, tucking tool arranged to be set into 0perative movement by merely pressing the work against it. The movement of the tool is preferably vibratory in character and in the illustrated machine occurs in approximately a plane, in adirection substantiallynormal to the surface of work presented to it, regardless of what that directionmaybe.

In this connection invention is to be recognized in a tucking machine embodying a tucking tool mounted upon a gyratory spindle, and means for vibrating the spindle. As shown, the spindle vibrating means consists of a hollow eccentric surrounding one end of the spindle, upon the other end of which the tool is mounted, the pivotal point about which the spindle vibrates being in the axis of rotation of the eccentric. A further featureof improvement consists in providing a variable throw for the eccentric, whereby the amplitude of vibrationpf the tool may be varied to suit the particular requirements of the work in hand. r I

The invention. also includes a novel heel cover tucking tool consisting of a disk, which may be freely rotatable and is preferably loosely mounted to rock and rotate freely upon the spindle.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood and appreciated from reading the following detailed description of one practical embodiment thereof,

in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which i Fig. l is a View, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, of amachine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the variable throw hollow eccentric;

Figs. 3 and i are end views of said eccentric, showing diiferent adjustments thereof;

Fig. 5 is a detail View of one form of tucking disk; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form oftucking disk.

As shown in the drawing the tucking machine may consist of two or more units which are identical in structure with the exception of the tucking disks- The following detailed description will apply equally well to either of these units. t

The mechanism is mounted upon and supported by a base 10 to which is secured by screws 12 a housing 14 in which are mounted ball-bearings 16 for a rotatable shaft 18. The shaft 18 is hollow, having an axial bore 20 of substantial size. The said shaft 18 is provided with a pulley 22 and may be continuously driven from any suitable source of power by a belt 24.

The end of the shaft 18 opposite the pulley 22 is enlarged as shown at 26 the enlargement being provided with a circular recess 23 which is eccentric to the axis of the shaft.

Fitted into the recess 28 is the hollow eccentric member 30 which operates the vibratory tucking tool. The hub 32 of the member 39 is circular and fits closely in the circular recess 28 while at the opposite end of the member 30 is provided with a cylindrical hole at the of which is offset relatively to that of the hub 32.

The hub 32 is drilled and threaded for the reception of the threaded end of a rod 36, the drilled hole being concentric with the cylindrical hole 34:. The rod 36, which is considerably smaller than the bore of the hollow shaft 18, passes lengthwise through said shaft and has at its outer end a nut 38 which, when it is tightened, causes the eccentric member 30 to be held securely in position in the recess 28 in the enlargement 26 of the shaft 18. It will be apparent that when the nut 38 is loosened the eccentric member 30 may be rotated relatively to the shaft 18 and, inasmuch as the hole 34 is eccentric to the surface of the hub 32, the eccentricity of the wall of said hole relative to the shaft 18 may be varied. Inasmuch as it is the wall of the hole 34 that imparts movement to the tucking tool it will now be seen that the member 30 constitutes a hollow eccentric having a variable throw. Obviously the nut 38 will be tightened to secure the hollow eccentric 30 to the shaft 18 in any position to which it may be adjusted.

The shaft enlargement 26 is provided with flat faces 40 and the eccentric member 30 is provided with fiat faces 42 for the reception of wrenches to facilitate the angular adjustment of the eccentric. In Fig. 4 the eccentric 30 is shown in its position of zero adjustment in which the cylindrical hole 34 is concentric with the shaft 18 and the eccentric, therefore, has no throw, while in Fig. 3 the adjustment is such that the eccentric has its maximum throw.

Mounted upon the end of the base 10 opposite to the housing 14 and secured thereto by a bolt 44 is an upright 46 in which a spindle 48 is mounted for gyratory movement about a point between its ends and substantially in the axis of rotation of the shaft 18 and the hollow eccentric 30 carried thereby. The spindle 48 is provided with a flange 50 which is held yieldingly against one face of the upright 46 by a compression spring 52 surrounding the spindle and held under tension by a nut 54 threaded upon the spindle. This mounting permits the spindle to gyrate in all directions so that a tucking tool upon its outer end is capable of moving in any direction in what, for practical purposes, is approximately a plane although strictly speaking it is geometrically more nearly a sphere of relatively large radius. The spring 52 normally tends to hold the spindle 48 co-axial with the shaft 18, in which position the spindle is stationary but is capable of yielding in any direction about its pivotal point in response to pressure applied to the tucking tool at its end.

The inner end of the spindle is provided with a freely rotatable roll 56 which is of smaller diameter than the hole 34 in the hollow eccentric and is surrounded by said eccentric. A guard member 58, supported by brackets 60, is provided to prevent injury to the operator and is held by bolts 62 passing through slots 64 in the bases of the brackets. When the bolts 62 are loosened the guard 58 may be moved aside to afford access to the eccentric 30 for purposes of adjustment. A felt washer 66 surrounding the spindle 48 adjacent to the roll 56 may be kept saturated with oil for lubrication purposes.

Two forms of tucking tools are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 respectively, that shown in Fig. 5 being designated generally by the numeral 68, and that shown in Fig. 6 being designated generally by the numeral 70. Each of these tools comprises a disk 5 72 which is the real tucking element. The tucking tool in each case is loosely mounted to rock and rotate freely upon a headed pin '74 which is secured firmly in the end of the-spindle 48 by a set screw '76. As shown in Fig. 5, the circular opening through the tucking tool flares in both directions from the middle as illustrated at 78 while in Fig. 6 the opening is illustrated at 80 as flaring from one end to the other. Either arrangement permits the tool to rock sufiiciently to ad-- just itself readily to the angle at which the work is presented to it.

In the tool illustrated in Fig. 5 means is provided at 82 for limiting the depth to which the disk 72 enters a channel in a heel to be operated upon. The shape of this portion of the tool may be chosen as desired to suit the requirements of various kinds of Work.

In the use of the machine a heel 84 having a channel 86 into which the marginal portion of a heel cover 88 is to be tucked is presented to and pressed against the tool 68, which is capable of yielding slightly in any direction in which it Would be desired to apply the pressure. The movement of the tool under the applied pressure causes the roll 56 to move into engagement with the hollow eccentric 30 which, being driven continuously at high speed, imparts a rapid, vibratory movement to the tool with a force proportional to that with which the work is pressed against it. The disk 72 forces the marginal portion of the cover 88 into the channel 86 in the manner shown in Fig. 5, the limiting means 82 preventing the disk from entering the channel to a depth sufficient to cause the disk to become wedged in the fold near the edge of the covering material.

The heel is moved progressively past the vibrating tool, being pressed against the latter in any convenient direction until the entire length of the channel 86 has been traversed, the heel cover then being in the partially tucked-in condition shown in Fig. 5.

The operation is now repeated with the tool 70, which is shaped to straighten out the fold near the edge of the cover material, and complete the tucln ng operation and press the cover closely against the side wall of the channel 86. It has been found that the rapid vibratory movement of the disk tucking tools works the cover material easily, rapidly and smoothly into the channel in the heel while the disk is able to follow easily and accurately a channel of almost any contour or shape. As soon as the Work is removed from contact with the tool the spring 52 causes the spindle 48 to assume its normal,

inoperative position in which it is stationary and.

out of contact with the eccentric 30, there being no wear upon, nor vibration of, the working elements of the machine except when work is actually being done.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Pate ent is:

1. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a movable tucking tool and means for imparting vibratory movement to said tool in any selected one of a plurality of directions at the will of the operator.

2. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a movable tucking tool and means for imparting vibratory movement to said tool in any selected one of a plurality of directions in approximately the same plane at the will of the operator.

3. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a yieldingly mounted, normally stationary, tucking tool, and means for imparting tucking movement to said tool when it is displaced by pressure of work against it.

4. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a yieldingly mounted, normally stationary, tucking tool, and means for imparting vibratory movement to said tool in a direction substantially normal to the surface of work presented to it when the tool is displaced by pressure of the work against it.

5. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a yieldingly mounted, normally stationary, tucking tool, and means for imparting vibratory movement to said tool in any one of a plurality of directions when it is displaced by pressure of work against it, the direction of said movement being determined by the direction in which said pressure is applied.

6. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a gyratory spindle, a tucking tool on said spindle, and means for vibrating said spindle.

7. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a gyratoryspindle, a tucking tool on said spindle, and an eccentric arranged to engage and vibrate said spindle.

8. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a spindle mounted to gyrate, about a point between its ends, a tucking tool on one end of the spindle, and an'eccentric arranged to engage and vibrate the other end of the spindle.

9. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a vibratory tucking tool, an eccentric having a variable throw, and connections between the eccentric and the tool whereby rotation of the eccentric will impart to the tool a vibratory movement of a variable amplitude determined by the throw of the eccentric.

10. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a gyratory spindle, a tucking tool on one end of said spindle, and a hollow eccentric surrounding the other end of said spindle.

11. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a spindle, mounted to gyrate about a point between its ends, a tucking tool on one end of the spindle, and a hollow eccentric surrounding, and arranged to be engaged by, the spindle.

12. In acover tucking machine, the combination of a rotating, hollow eccentric, a' spindle mounted to gyrate about a point in the axis of rotation of said eccentric, one end of said spindle being within the eccentric, and a tucking tool on the other end of the spindle.

13. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a rotating eccentric, a normally stationary spindle mounted to yield in all directions about a pivotal point in the axis of rotation of said eccentric, and a tucking tool on one end of the spindle, the other end of said spindle being movable into engagement with the eccentric by pressure against the tool in any direction transverse to said axis.

14. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a spindle and a cover tucking tool mounted to rock on said spindle. v

15. In a cover tucking machine, the combination of a spindle and a cover tucking disk mounted to rock on said spindle.

16. In acover tucking machine, the combination of a spindle and a cover tucking disk loosely mounted to rock and rotate freely on said spindle.

NORWOOD H. KNOWLTON. 

